JetBlue continues expansion at Reagan National

JetBlue Airways Corp., one of several airlines expanding at Reagan National Airport thanks to slot divestitures of the newly merged American Airlines and US Airways, will add twice daily service from Reagan National to Jacksonville, Florida.

The Jacksonville service starts Dec. 18, the same day JetBlue inaugurates Reagan National service to Fort Myers and West Palm Beach, Florida.

Jacksonville is the sixth new destination from National for JetBlue this year. In June, it started nonstop service to Charleston, South Carolina, Hartford, Connecticut, and Nassau, Bahamas.

By the end of the year, JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) will have a total of 30 daily nonstop flights from National Airport.

Virgin America is also adding Reagan National flights as part of takeoff and landing rights given up by American and US Airways, as is Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), which is more than doubling its National Airport service, to 44 daily flights.